Soul Sound

Soul Sound

"Do you want a cup of tea?" Miles asked.

Phoenix nodded, feeling his dry throat. "Yes, please." After the horrible year that was 2020, he would never say no to a cup of tea. He didn't know much about the art of tea, but he knew that Miles always made a great cuppa.

"Can I have hot chocolate?" Trucy asked.

The news came on, and it was nothing but depressing stuff. The past few years had been bad for Phoenix, and he was convinced the worst was over… until 2020 came along. There was once a point in his life where he respected politicians. As an ex-lawyer, he knew how dodgy some of them could be. The things he saw in the news made him gasp. He never thought they would stoop so low. The things that come out of their mouths surprise him every day. The media was not so newsworthy anymore; all the talk about Brexit, COVID-19, and protests made him wonder what hope was.

"Here you go!" Miles placed the tea on the marble coffee table whilst placing a cup of hot chocolate near Trucy. "I've got a text to say the Sainsbury's van's outside, I'll go and collect it."

"I'll help you, Miles," Trucy said, following Miles out of the penthouse. Taking off his beanie hat, he started to perk up. It was lovely seeing Miles and Trucy bond so well. Even if it was a big mistake going on holiday during a pandemic, at least Miles could work from home, in some degrees.

"So much garbage in the news nowadays," Phoenix said to himself. Mcdonald's chose not to hire a woman with a law degree. How is that news? People get rejected all the time, it was a part of life. Phoenix remembered having plenty of rejections through jobs and dates, though it all lead him to where he was now.

Then something stood out for him on Twitter, a British pop group, The Sugababes had celebrated the 20th anniversary of their first album, One Touch. He didn't remember much about them other than the fact that they changed members a lot. He recognised three young girls behind a pressed flower on the album cover. He saw it in Miles's record collection back home, hidden amongst David Bowie, Queen, Depeche Mode and countless soundtracks.

Closing all the tabs on his phone, he stopped to admire his screen: a young girl cuddling a man on London Bridge. He couldn't decide who was cuter; Trucy with her colossal smile or Miles with that happy smirk. They both had matching maroon coats and white cravats. His partner, Miles disagreed and once said his bottom looked like an apple. Phoenix couldn't help it; his speciality was law, not photography. Still, it made them laugh.

Trucy and Miles came back to the apartment with the shopping. It felt they were back at home in California. Even though they were on vacation, it didn't feel much like a holiday. The idea of a holiday was a drunken thought. How nice it would be to get run away from sorrow and stress. When confronted, he would tell everyone it was grape juice. Miles wasn't having any of it and booked the three tickets to London because Trucy had watched Mary Poppins. Neither of them expected that there would be a second lockdown.

"I'm going to get changed," Miles said as he whisked himself into the bedroom.

"Daddy!" Trucy jumped besides Phoenix in the sofa. "The news is depressing." She grabbed the remote control from the table. "Can we watch something nicer?"

"Of course you can," Phoenix smiled. After putting some old cartoons on that Phoenix used to watch as a child himself, he laughed as Miles waltzed to the kitchen to put the kettle on. The bell on the top of his hat jingled with his every moment.

"Miles is Santa Claus!" Trucy turned around at pointed at Miles before sitting down to watch the telly. "I picked the costume because he looks cute in it... just like Pikachu."

"You're not wrong," Phoenix said. Miles would never be seen in public dressed as Santa Claus. Still, it was hilarious having Trucy be his personal dresser. Before Miles became too flabbergasted to talk, Phoenix decided to change the subject. Admiring the warm décor and the large fireplace, like the ones only seen in traditional pubs. Nobody he knew had those old fireplaces anymore, not even his parents. "This a lovely apartment. How did you get it?"

"It was one of von Karma's properties," Miles explained. He sighed with a small groan. "It's Franziska's now, but she said we can stay here for as long as we need."

"Are we still technically able to travel back?" Phoenix asked. "The U.K seems to change their rules every five minutes. The tier system is confusing."

"I wouldn't risk it," Miles said, leaning onto Phoenix's shoulder. "Franziska was saying how foolish we are to be travelling the way we did in the first place."

Phoenix laid back, sinking his head into the back of the sofa. "Now, I feel bad."

"It's also my responsibility as well," Miles confessed. "Afterall, it was me who paid for the flights."

Trucy paused the program. The way Pikachu was licking the ketchup bottle made Phoenix see things we wished he would unsee. "We wore our masks at the airport and followed the rules, so we should be okay."

Phoenix turned his eyes off the electric mouse on the TV and turned to Miles. "So how did you manage to get the keys from Franziska then?"

"With everything going on with Brexit, Franziska wanted to wash her hands off this property."

"Wow is that really much of a big deal?"

"She's a big supporter of the European Union. I did warn her wise not to dwell on politics. She said she can't stand the politicians here and they're all hideous bumbling idiots that made even Vernon Dursley look handsome."

Phoenix sat up as his hair prodded against the Harry Potter books on the shelf. "That good vocabulary for Franziska's standards." Phoenix knew he would never be able to afford such a lovely penthouse in the heart of the city. Not that Franziska was short of money, but she could make easy money just by renting the place out.

Miles picked up a Steel Samurai magazine from the bookcase behind the sofa. "I'm shocked she knows the name of Harry Potter's uncle."

"Everyone knows Harry Potter," Trucy shouted. "I had a dream about him last night." Miles and Phoenix stared at Trucy with great interest as she stood up and reenacted her dream.

"Harry came in with his big broomstick and said that I've been invited to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then he took me to Diagon Alley to get a pet. And in Diagon Alley, Professor Oak had a pop-up store."

"HOLD IT!" Phoenix said, scratching his head. "Where do you get the money to buy the pokémon?"

Trucy shook her head. "We went to the bank first, then we went to Professor Oak's pop-up store. He gave me Eevee for free, but I bought Eevee a hat from his store. Then I bought Pikachu, so Eevee had a friend."

Phoenix decided to press Trucy further about the dream. "This dream sounds trippy but fun. What else happened?"

"Team Rocket stole Pikachu…" Trucy lowered her head and sunk her chin to her neck." It made me, Harry and Eevee cry."

"OBJECTION!" Miles roared.

Trucy jumped as she bit her lip. She turned to Phoenix, shrugged her shoulders then walked up Miles. "Why did you say objection?"

Miles chuckled. "No real reason at all. I just felt like saying it."

"You miss saying it, don't you?" Phoenix said.

Miles nodded.

"Objection sustained," Phoenix said. "We don't like seeing Trucy sad."

"How did you defeat Team Rocket?" Miles asked. Phoenix could see the way Miles lit his eyes up when listening to Trucy's dream with great interest. He felt like one of those BTS fangirls.

"Team Rocket went to Willy Wonka's candy shop. They were stealing all the candy, and Meowth ate some and had a bad stomach-ache."

"I'm not surprised," said Miles.

Trucy flicked her hand, and a wand appeared from her hand. "Then Harry used Alohomora to open the cage with Pikachu. Then Jessie and James tried to retake Pikachu, but Mr Hat protected Harry and us stunned them with his hand. Then Willy Wonka gave me some chocolate, and when I tried to pay, he said it was on the house, then the Oompa Loompas did a song for Team Rocket."

"Diagon Alley sure sounds like a Fandom version of Hollywood," Phoenix said.

"What song did they sing?" Miles asked. What a nerd, thought Phoenix. He had always been terrible at hiding it, but Phoenix is happy that he's open about his geekiness.

Trucy was more than willing to oblige. "Oompa Loompa Doompadee Doo. I've got a perfect puzzle for you." She sang the song like an angel. She mimicked the Oompa Loompa dance right to a T. "Oompa Loompa Doompadee Dee. If you are wise, you'll listen to me." Trucy placed her hands by her hips and pondered. "Why do always cause devastation? Stealing Pikachu in every nation. You should know better and start a fight. You always blast off to the speed of light. I think you should get a life. Oompa Loompa Doompadee Dah!"

It wasn't until Trucy pointed at her head, did Phoenix realise that Miles was singing along. "If you have logic, you will go far. You will live in happiness, too. Like the Oompa Loompa Doompadee Doo!"

Trucy curtsied and went back to watching Pokémon on Netflix. When the episode finished, she went on YouTube. It was logged in to Miles' account. The recommendations were what Phoenix expected, Steel Samurai scenes, the David Bowie concert with Nine Inch Nails and Soul Sound by the Sugababes. When Trucy chose to watch Soul Sound by the Sugababes, Phoenix sighed with relief.

"It's the 20th anniversary of their first album today," Miles said, talking about the Sugababes. "Soul Sound is a lovely song."

"I saw on Twitter," Phoenix said. "I've only heard Hole in the Head and Push the Button."

"I only like the original line-up," Miles admitted.

"This video is cute," Trucy said, admiring the special effects in the music video. "When are we going home? Charley is going to be lonely."

"Don't worry," Phoenix said, holding Miles's hand. "I'm sure Larry is taking great care of her."

Through endless banter with Miles, nostalgic pop music and Trucy's infinite supply of energy, Phoenix smiled. He had his miracle. There was hope in the world.